The Directorate for Education and Training is a subordinate agency of the Ministry of Education and Research with responsibilities within primary and secondary education. The Directorate has a broad sphere of work, ranging from curriculum planning, examinations and analyses to legislation and supervision.
Supervision and legislation
The Directorate for Education and Training is responsible for supervision of Norway’s school owners: municipalities, county authorities and private schools. The purpose of this supervision is to ensure fulfilment of the right of children and young people to equivalent high-quality education.
The Directorate for Education and Training provides support to schools, continuing education for teachers and development of educational resources. This support is aimed at ensuring that everyone receives the education he or she is entitled to.
Curriculum planning
The content of primary and secondary education is to be renewed through the Knowledge Promotion. The core of this work is curriculum development. In its work on developing school curricula, the Directorate has collaborated with professional environments throughout Norway.
Clearer learning objectives play a central role in the new curricula. Basic skills, such as reading, writing and arithmetic, are central to all subjects.
The Directorate monitors how the Knowledge Promotion functions in the schools.
Examinations and tests
The Directorate is responsible for preparing examinations, national tests and diagnostic tests for primary and secondary education.
Examinations provide a final assessment of the competence of each individual pupil.
National tests provide information on the pupils’ basic skills, and a basis for improvement and development in the school.
Diagnostic tests detect needs for individual follow-up and adaptation.
Knowledge development
The Directorate is responsible for development projects, research and statistics on primary and secondary education. User surveys of pupils, apprentices, teachers, instructors and parents provide valuable feedback to schools, school owners and the authorities.
Results and analyses are published on the Directorate’s website. This knowledge is intended to help improve the Norwegian school.
International comparisons
The Directorate is responsible for coordinating many international studies. The most well known of these is PISA, but Norway participates in a large number of surveys. These show the competence of Norwegian pupils and teachers in selected areas, compared with those of other countries.
The studies provide valuable feedback, and have had major significance for the public debate on the Norwegian school.
Further information
You can find further information on the Directorate’s website at utdanningsdirektoratet.no.
All approved curricula can be found at:
udir.no/grep
Your school’s results and facts about the school:
udir.no/skoleporten
For teachers and pupils:
skolenettet.no
Special education – knowledge and competence:
statped.no